Murphy's Laws
by FantasyChick
Summary: The first of hopefully a full years worth of short stories. SORRY ALL MY FICS ARE STOPPED. IF ANYONE WISHES TO TAKE OVER ANY THEM LET ME KNOW I WOULD BE HAPPY TO LET THEM.
1. January 1

Title: Murphy's Laws

Author: FantasyChick

Character: Buffy

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy.

* * *

Murphy's Law

If anything can go wrong, it will.

Thursday

January 1st

* * *

That is what the first page of Buffy's Murphy's Law 2009 Calendar greeted her with as she sat at her desk.

She had spent a quiet night last night with some of the orphaned younger slayers watching anime (that the girls had become addicted to), playing games and just keeping each other company. It had been a nice night for which Buffy was extremely thankful for and as the Den Mother for younger girls she was happy to spend a peaceful and enjoyable night with them, knowing that they were safe. She had been surprised that the girls had wanted to spend time with her on New Years instead of going to any number of parties that she knew that they had been invited to. When she had asked why Rose who is a slayer from England had stated flat out that she was family and that they had wanted to spend New Years with her DUH! Buffy had felt touched by that response. Especially since the only contact she had with the Scoobies of her sister these days were status reports on slayers and about problems with demons.

Sure it hurt her like anything that they were no longer as close as they once were. And it still hurt to remember the last few weeks before the closure of the Sunnydale Hellmouth. But Buffy found that the more time away from them she spent and the less contact she had with them while she worked with and cared of the girls in her care she found that she hurt less as time went on.

Rose, Lorelai, Paige, Lina, Rosette, Phoebe and Suki were all very unique girls and Buffy cared for them deeply. Rose from England, who is into Gymnastics and loves that she has the same name as Rose from Dr Who is a very friendly and out-going girl who decided that she would be a paranormal Detective when she is old enough. Lorelai from the USA who was permanently addicted to coffee and loved creating her own style of clothes and making clothes for everyone who decided to be the owner of a unique eccentric fashion boutique, her words. Paige of the wild child variety who loves to dance and sing and is determined to Rock the world. Lina, of the wild child ball busting variety, and whom wants to fly, and become a Pilot in the Air Force. Rosette who is an older sister was like a lioness when protecting her younger brother whom she refused to leave behind, and also wishes to join the Air Force. Phoebe, who is of the psychic and peaceful loving type, wishes to become a teacher when she grows up, at a pre-school. And last but definitely not least Suki who loves cars and wishes to be professional racer later on in life.

They are all very unique girls that Buffy had learned to love. They were also the ones who gave her the desk calendar she was currently looking at. After having heard all about her life as a Slayer they had decided that her life must have been cursed by Murphy's Laws and since she had never had the original slayer rule book she could use the Laws as guides for a new one. She smiled at the Christmas gift. Sure enough – "If anything can go wrong, it will" – was one of the things that she had urged the girls to be wary off. That and - "Don't Die!" -.

* * *

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Author Note: I did spend New Years Eve watching Anime until 5 in the morning with friends, the price of having friends addicted to Anime, and it was fun nevertheless.


	2. January 2

Title: Murphy's Laws

Chapter: January 2 – If anything can't go wrong, it will

Author: FantasyChick

Character/s: Buffy, other characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy.

__________________________

Murphy's Law

If anything can't go wrong, it will.

Friday

January 2nd

___________________________

Rose Tyler, Lorelai Lane, Paige Williams, Lina Murphy, Rosette Stone, Phoebe Thompson and Suki Tsukino made their way through the night looking warily around as they helped each other limp back to their home. Now a fairly quiet night in Princeton New Jersey and all the girls were dreading the long walk home. One which wasn't normally very long due to their slayer speed but it had been a rough night's patrol and the only reason that they had survived was Phoebe's insistence that they all go on patrol that night instead of just Rose, Lina and Suki. Over the past year that they had all been living and working together they had all learnt to listen to Phoebe when she had one of her feelings and they were all glad that they had. Buffy wasn't at home that night as she had to do business elsewhere so they were relying on each other to make it home safely and in one piece.

Lina suddenly remembered the quote on the days Murphy's Law, the one that they had taken to use as a Slayer Handbook. - "If anything can't go wrong, it will." – She laughed. The others asked her what was so funny. She quoted the law. Soon they all were giggling; releasing the tension that they were all unaware they'd been feeling until that point. Straightening up they started moving with more energy than they had previously felt. Lorelai uncapped her thermos and took a swig of coffee before offering it to the others. They all took a drink knowing that they needed all the energy they could get at that point.

Sighing, Suki wished that she had access to her car but it was unfortunately in the garage getting a necessary tune up. Suddenly she was aware of the sound of a very familiar engine coming closer, the engine which belonged to the vehicle that Buffy had brought specifically to fit all of them in. Turning their heads to the right they saw Buffy pull along side them, with the side doors open. They could see the worry she felt for them as she urged them to get inside, cataloguing every injury that she could see. Rosette pulls out the first aid kit and immediately begins treating the worst of the injuries, thankful that none of the injuries were bad.

Next to Buffy Phoebe sat telling the senior slayer what had happened on patrol that night. None of the younger Slayers were surprised when Buffy knew just where to find them. She had some kind of strange instinct of knowing just where and when to show up when they needed help. Usually that was just in time to help them in a battle that they were really struggling in. But every now and then she showed up at the end of the fight. Paige had once asked her why she did that. Buffy had told them that she knew that they could handle it and that she wouldn't always be available to help so they needed to learn how to learn to deal with that kind of crisis on their own. But they never doubted that she cared for them. Buffy had earned the nickname Den Mother that they had given her, she was like a head wolf protecting her pack.

When they all got back to the house they weren't surprised when she bustled them inside and to bathe, change into their pj's, and to join her for a hot chocolate while she typed up their report. It had become their regular routine after rough nights, like that night, and they all found comfort in this and well as reassurance that everyone was alright. It helped to stem some of the nightmares they could get after bad patrols.

When they were all in bed for the night Buffy went to each room making sure that they were all sleeping comfortably and without nightmares. This was also a regular routine. Buffy hated sending them out to slay but if she had to their was no way in hell she was letting them do so without getting as much support as they needed to survive safe and sane.

______________________________________________________________________

AN: I have no idea where I'm going with this fic except that a quote from my Murphy's Law calendar will be in each chapter I add. If anyone has any ideas let me know. I'll happily see if I can add them. I thought about having Buffy owning and teaching at a Martial Arts Self-Defence studio. What do you think? Also yes they do live in the same area as House MD. I just love the fics where Buffy and House interact and I'd like to have a go at it sometime in the future.


	3. January 3

Title: Murphy's Laws

Chapter: January 3/4 – You never run out of things that can go wrong.

Author: FantasyChick

Character/s: Buffy, other characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy.

* * *

Murphy's Law

You never run out of things that can go wrong.

Saturday/Sunday

January 3rd/4th

* * *

Rose Tyler groaned as she stumbled into the house she shared with the others. It had been a long weekend and it was only half way over yet. Yawning she flopped down onto one of the sofas in the family room, unable to gather enough energy to move on up to her room.

She had a couple of weeks off for Christmas and New Years, and at 16 years of age she was still in school and had been thankful for the break. Although this holidays she had been working hard as an extra salesperson to deal with the holiday shoppers from Friday 26th of December '08 until Saturday January 3rd. She'd never been as grateful for her slayer strength, speed and stamina when dealing with all of the holiday shoppers had been a hectic undertaking, especially for the days just before Christmas and the Boxing Day sales. But it was also satisfying since she got paid the Working through the holiday's casual employee bonuses. She couldn't believe she was thankful for school starting up again soon.

Despite the problems that she had faced in her slaying the shop work had been rather easy in comparison, the problems easy to deal with including the occasional vampire planning to dine on the late night shoppers, until that Saturday night that is. Tonight she had never run out of things that had gone wrong; EFTPOS not working, sales machines breaking down, children getting lost, a false fire evacuation, a real fire danger and more. Her supervisor had been so impressed with how she had dealt with the chaos of the last couple of weeks and especially that night when she discovered the fire dangers, that he had recommended that she become one of their regular weekend workers.

Rose was proud of her problem solving skills and how well she had worked over the last 2 weeks. She wouldn't want to be a shop girl all of her life but the experience she had gotten while working was helpful and again the money was helpful. She was seriously thinking of taking up the offer to work the weekends for the rest of the school year. She could save most of it up for her college education. Oh she knows that the new Council will provide a scholarship for orphaned and struggling Slayers who want to go to college but she preferred to be independent and have some work experience. These days' bosses preferred hiring people with work experience rather than those without it. And after hearing the horror stories Buffy told them about her and the others about her own work experience at the dreaded Double Meat Palace, Rose and the others were determined not to get stuck in that kind of job.

Yawning and closing her eyes, Rose contemplated on whether to fall asleep right there on the sofa or whether she could gather enough energy to drag her tired but gorgeous behind up to her room. A moment later she didn't have to worry about that as she felt herself be lifted up and taken to her room and opening her eyes she saw it was by none other than Buffy, the petite blonde easily manoeuvring the stairs and hallway with Rose in her arms. Rose protested that Buffy didn't need to carry her to her room. Buffy just smiled and said that she had gotten a call from Rose's supervisor telling her how well she had handled today. When Rose was settled into her bed, Buffy sat next to her and gently brushed her hair while telling her that her supervisor also mentioned the weekend job he'd offered her. Buffy said that she was happy for her and if she did want to continue working then she wouldn't stop her, just as long as she was happy to keep on working and it didn't interfere with her schooling. Buffy told her to relax and to get a good nights' sleep, she deserved it.

* * *

AN: More and more of these chapters are going to be focused on the Slayers under Buffy's care interspersed with the occasional Buffy focused one. Also I would like to thank Rainbowimagination for being my first Reviewer. 663 words this chapter.


	4. January 4

Title: Murphy's Laws

Chapter: January 3/4 – You never run out of things that can go wrong.

Author: FantasyChick

Character/s: Buffy, other characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy.

* * *

Murphy's Law

You never run out of things that can go wrong.

Saturday/Sunday

January 3rd/4th

* * *

15 year old Rosette Stone and her younger brother Nathaniel made their way out from the church where they had gone to remember their parents on the day of their death. Their parents were very religious people and although Rosette and Nathaniel weren't as devoted to the church as their parents were they still went to the Christmas service and the service closest to the date of their parents' deaths to honour them.

Rosette was like a lioness when protecting her younger brother whom she refused to leave behind, so when she had learnt about being the slayer and was offered a place to live with others like herself she made sure that Buffy knew that. Buffy, having faced a similar feeling when her mother died and she ended up caring for her sister Dawn, understood what Rosette was going through and agreed to also take Nathaniel in as well. Something that Rosette was extremely grateful for. Buffy also offered advice on what not to do when dealing with caring for younger siblings, explaining all of the mistakes she knew she had made when caring for Dawn.

Nathaniel at 11 years old was a precocious young man who had found it both strange and terrifying living with so many strangers after just getting used to living in the orphanage with Rosette. And although he was delighted that his sister, his only living relative, hadn't wanted to be parted from him it was still a nerve wracking experience. Fortunately he found things in common with the Slayers. Buffy, who asked him to call her Aunt Buffy, helped to make sure he was well provided and cared for, giving him his own room and letting him decorate it however he wanted to have it. Buffy also made sure that Nathaniel got into a good school which he wouldn't get bored in, and bought him a laptop computer that he could do his school work on as well as a few games and great visual arts software he could use in his continuous search for new art mediums to try. Half of his room was practically an art studio. He also got to take art classes outside of his school classes as long as his class work was up-to-date and he wasn't struggling with anything.

Rosette was glad that she had taken Buffy's offer up when she saw how Nathaniel blossomed in their new living conditions which she also enjoyed. She was delighted to also find companionship with her fellow slayers. But mostly she enjoyed the fact that she no longer had to worry about being separated from her brother or worrying about how to look after themselves or their expenses. Instead they had found a stable home with people they can count on and care for and be cared for.

It was a wonderful feeling and Rosette who currently loves her life, despite the danger there was in Slaying, was looking forward to a bright future where she is flying fast aircraft. Rosettes dream job.

* * *

AN: These first few chapters are introductions to all of the characters. Do you like them?


	5. January 5

Title: Murphy's Laws

Chapter: January 5 – Once a client is a pain in the neck, that client will always be a pain in the neck.

Author: FantasyChick

Character/s: Buffy, other characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy.

* * *

Murphy's Law

Once a client is a pain in the neck, that client will always be a pain in the neck.

Monday

January 5th

* * *

Seventeen year old Paige Williams aspiring rock goddess dances and sings along to Billy Idols "Dancing with myself" blasting out into the music store as she moves through the instruments, straightening bits and pieces here and restocking areas there. She loves her job. It's perfect for her at the moment as she gets employee discounts for any of the equipment she needs and can work with her beloved music. During the quiet times when there isn't any customers and she doesn't need to anything job wise she is allowed to pick up one of the display instruments and give it ago, her supervisor giving her permission to do so when she discovered how it tended to draw people into the store when Paige played and therefore drawing in more customers. They tended to prefer the assistance of someone who knew what they were talking about personally rather than someone that had read it all in a book and had no practical experience.

Paige didn't tend to work during the week as she had school most days, but due to her class schedule she was able to work Friday afternoons, Saturday and Sunday all day and now Monday afternoons. As long as it didn't interfere in her school work and getting her homework completed she was hoping to save enough to go towards college where she wants to Major in music with a Minor in Business. She was no fool, Paige had heard about those boy bands and the many other musicians that had been ripped of by their sleazy managers and record companies. There was no way in hell she was going to be unprepared for that kind of thing when she finally made it big.

After finishing her rounds she moves back to the counter and had just sat down on the stool behind the counter; still singing, this time to ACDC, when the door swishes open and a fairly short green haired man who looks to be about Buffy's age enters wearing a Dingo Ate My Babies t-shirt. There was something strange about him and she watches him warily as he moves over to the Guitar accessories. He picks something up that she thinks is, yes it is guitar strings, and heads her way. Paige is just ringing up his purchase when the door swishes open again and this time an older man who wasn't shaved and limps inside with the assistance of a cane. She groans. It's Mr Grumpy Cane Guy.

Before Paige can say anything the first customer hands her an envelope with Buffy's name on it. He gives a twitch of his lips, the only facial expression she had seen him make yet, and says to say hello to Buffy for him before leaving. For some reason she feels she feel shocked. Who was he?

Shaking her head she places the envelope into her backpack so as not to forget it then turns back to her nemeses, the biggest pain in the neck she has ever met and that was saying something considering she goes out slaying Vampires regularly and has had the unfortunate experience meeting the so called Scoobies.

He smirks at her from where he sits himself, display guitar in hand. She knows he won't buy anything. He never does; the ass. And if that isn't bad enough, DAMN IT! The ass could really play. Paige pouts.

* * *

AN: When ever I'm in a music store and a song comes on that I love I'm one of those shameless people who dances and sings in the aisles. Maybe I've seen Empire Records too much. Nah! Plus how do you like my special guests? I miss stoic oz but love just about everything Seth Green is involved in like Robot Chicken. It didn't take me as long to write this chapter as the others had. I promised myself that I wouldn't type less than 500 words a chapter and so far it has gone well. Maybe, hopefully, after I get through with the intros I'll be able to write 1000 words a chapter. Fingers crossed.


	6. January 6

Title: Murphy's Laws

Chapter: January 6

Author: FantasyChick

Character/s: Buffy, other characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy.

* * *

Murphy's Law

After you have heard two eyewitness accounts of an auto accident you begin to worry about history.

Monday

January 6th

* * *

Suki Tsukino was at the garage to pick up her beloved car, the Nissan Skyline, which had been in for a thorough check up. The Skyline was a gift from her Uncle Brian for getting her drivers licence as soon as she was able to. When her parents had been killed in a freak storm her only living relative, Uncle Brian McCoy had taken her in and tended to spoil his only niece rotten. Not that Suki complained about that when she received her beautiful car.

After paying the mechanic, and waving cheerfully to the other workers, Suki threw her bag into the passenger seat and jumped in behind the wheel before setting off, making sure to keep to the speed limit. She has found, like the other slayers who attempts to drive and/or has their drivers' licences, that her slayer reflexes and reactions were much better then the regular drivers and it was difficult to stick with the regular speed limits. This was another reason for Suki to want to become a race car driver. To partially quote the Top Gun movie, she "feels the need, the need for speed."

The weather has been extremely bad and she carefully manoeuvres the streets, slipping a disc into the CD player. Suki absently hums to herself as she turns onto the highway which heads towards the house, her home. It was strange living with so many females after having lived with just her Uncle for most of her life, she barely remembered her parents.

Uncle Brian had known about the demon and mystical world for over decade, so when Suki had suddenly become stronger, faster and had managed to kill a demon that had attacked them he had worried about her like the over protective guardian he was and tried to find someone to help her. Suki was forever thankful that he had gotten her martial arts and weapons instruction for the 9 years before she moved in with Buffy and the others. Suki makes her way into a suburban area.

Not that she had to move away from Uncle Brian, in fact it had been and still is Suki's choice on whether she stays or not. At 18 years old she could even move out on her own using her own inheritance to buy or rent and furnish a place to live in. The thing that really decided her on her choice however was that the Engineering school she wanted to go to, the New York Rochester Institute of Technology, didn't have any places available for her until the following school year. Instead she choses to teach part-time as a self-defence instructor at the Dojo that Buffy owns and teaches at, while learning all she could about fighting from the experienced oldest living slayer and also working part-time at the garage her Skyline was recently at.

Suki pulls up into the three car garage, careful so as to not scratch or dent her baby; turning the engine off she sits in the drivers seat for a bit waiting. Smiling when she heard the door between the house and garage burst open and Nathaniel running out to welcome her and the car home. The boy loved her car almost much as she did. She still at times missed the quiet and peacefulness that she had when living with her Uncle, but she never regrets moving to be with the others. For when she did so she also gained more family.

* * *

AN: The Murphy's Laws won't always directly relate to the chapter, sometimes just being the vague inspiration for what I choose for the story. I admit that I know very little about cars, the mechanics of/or driving them. I'm in my late 20's and still haven't gotten my licence.


	7. January 7

Title: Murphy's Laws

Chapter: January7

Author: FantasyChick

Character/s: Buffy, other characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy.

* * *

Murphy's Law

"Murphy was an optimist."

Wednesday

January 7th

* * *

At 12 and a half years old Lina Murphy was the second youngest member of the Slayers household, second only to young Nathaniel that is. Sitting in her last class of the day, English class, she found herself staring blankly at the empty page lying on the desk in front of her. She absently chews on her lip as she tries to think of what to write for her assignment, to write about a significant instant in her life that she felt had changed her. Such as the birth of a sibling, or changing schools or moving house or . . . Wait a minute! That is definitely something that Lina felt comfortably writing about, living with Buffy and the girls.

For as long as she could remember Nana Nina had been her soul guardian and provider. She also had the unerring ability to foresee what was coming in the future. Nana Nina had made sure that Lina was well cared for and somewhat prepared for what was to come. She never knew who her father was/is. Even her last name is her mothers' maiden name. He wasn't listed on her birth certificate.

Nancy Mariah Murphy was a free spirited peace loving hippy who had left Lina in the care of her grandmother and then disappeared when Lina was 3 years old. Nana Nina's only clue to who the father of her only great granddaughter is was that he had been in the military and when Nancy found out she freaked out and refused to have anything to do with him having an extreme dislike of the military and any law enforcement officers.

The weeks surrounding Nana Nina's death were surreal.

Lina had known Nana Nina was going to die, the older woman had told her so, just like she had told her Lina would someday become a guardian and protector of earth. Just like she had told her on numerous other things that had come true throughout her life, it was just the way Nana had been. Lina couldn't imagine her any other way.

Nana Nina had also been well prepared for her own death and what was to follow. She had gotten in contact with Buffy and had her sign the papers necessary to be Lina's legal guardian. The house that Lina had been living in with Nana Nina was large and had been renovated and extended on to, to comfortably house everyone now living there including the very necessary added bathrooms. As Lina's new guardian Buffy was also in charge of Lina's inheritance. Buffy had had only a vague idea how to deal with an inheritance and had gotten Suki's Uncle Brian to assist her and make sure she didn't stuff anything up.

Lina has kept the same room she has always had in the room so she didn't have the same upheaval that the others had, something she was elated for. Lina also believes that another she has accepted her Nana's death so well was the fact that Buffy was there for her through it all, making sure she had someone to talk to when needed or someone keep company when she didn't want to be alone. The fact that Buffy had also faced similar things in her life, such as the death of her Mother, let her know that she wasn't alone in it. It was strangely comforting.

Now how could she write all of this with out adding all of the stuff that most people would consider science fiction or fantasy?

* * *

AN: I lost my father when I was a year or two older then Lina and can admit now that I dealt with it pretty much by ignoring that it had happened until years later when I had the same kind of assignment Lina got in a writing class. The more and more I wrote the more cathartic it was. During the years between however I acted up more and more often without realising why I was doing it. Maybe If I had done the assignment years earlier I wouldn't have done something as stupid as getting caught shoplifting a pen.


	8. January 8

Title: Murphy's Laws

Chapter: January 8

Author: FantasyChick

Character/s: Buffy, other characters

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Murphy's Law

"Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth."

Thursday

January 7th

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

For as long as she could remember, and no matter how many times Phoebe Thompson told herself it was all a dream or some kind of massive hallucination, the reality she was faced with every day and night was just plain weird. And this was all before she had been called as a slayer.

Looking back now Phoebe recognized when she first became aware of the differences between herself and her peers and elders was when she was playing with the kind woman who had always looked out for her when she was a preschooler. Nanny Francine had always been a wonderful woman. When she had disappeared Phoebe had just began school full-time, only when she had asked her parents where Nanny Francine had gone they had just asked who Nanny Francine was.

It had scared her parents stiff when they realised a strange woman had been interacting with their daughter without their knowledge. After a session with a child psychiatrist and a lot of research the adults in her life were shocked to discover that the spirit of the elderly woman Francine Howards who'd been a Nanny all of her working life. Her parents then began researching to find information and help to assist their daughter in her gift. It was through this training that Phoebe learned that the things she saw and thought of as normal in her everyday life were in fact things and beings that regular people didn't generally see or notice. She was taught how to distinguish the spirit and the physical world. One of her tutors, a gypsy woman of the Kalendish Clan, informed her that she had been born with an active second sight.

When she was till learning to differentiate between the mortal and spirit wolds Phoebe had made mistakes and had gained a reputation of being something of a nutcase. Middle School had been a terrible time for she found it hard to make friends and had been teased a lot. It was even harder when her father died of an Aneurysm in the brain. He had just been walking up the street to the local Milk Bar when he collapsed in the middle of the street. The Doctors later declared that he'd died instantaneously. Phoebe found it incredibly hard to mourn his death due to the fact that his spirit still resided on Earth looking out for Phoebe and his beloved wife.

Then just after Phoebe had left middle school for the day, disaster struck and her mother was shot in robbery at her workplace. She was badly injured and while the doctors repaired and healed her body as much as they could Desiree Thompson fell into a coma. And to top it all of then Phoebe is suddenly called as a Slayer. If not for her fathers spirit keeping her company and soothing her soul she didn't think she could have stayed sane.

Phoebe was staying with her mother's best friend when Buffy Summers came a calling. When Phoebe looked into the older slayers eyes and looked into her, she felt those same sorrow filled eyes doing the same to her. It was weird, very weird, something she had never before encountered. Then Buffy opened her arms and Phoebe felt Buffy's very being caring for her, worrying about her, welcoming her. Then suddenly another smaller pair of arms wrapped around Phoebe and looking down she found another familiar soul sharing those same feelings.

And even though they only really met because they were all Slayers, Phoebe was relieved despite the demons and Slaying, to find such strong souls to connect with and help keep her sane.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

AN: I had a relative who died due to a brain aneurysm. She had been crossing the street and just collapsed. Its scary how things like that really do happen.


	9. Author Note Sorry

AN: I apologise for not updating for yesterday and the next few days. I am currently feeling sick and have been unable to dredge up the energy to write any new chapters. However this will give my beta-reader the chance to go over what I have already written.

Thanks for your patience and I will replace this AN with the next chapter ASAP.

FantasyChick


End file.
